The Latest Kentucky News

HEALTH OVERHAUL-KENTUCKY

Enrollment for health coverage set to begin

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Enrollment is set to begin for Kentucky's uninsured residents to sign up for health coverage as part of the federal health care law commonly known as "Obamacare."

The first phase of implementation opens Tuesday with the start of enrollment.

People can sign up for policies offered through the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange. Enrollment runs through the end of the year, and policies go into effect Jan. 1.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has led the push to implement the federal health care reforms for the Bluegrass State.

Beshear says some 640,000 Kentuckians are uninsured. Nearly half of those will be added to the state's Medicaid program. The remainder will be able to get insurance through the exchange.

Kentucky ranks at or near the top nationally for a series of health problems.

FIRE SEASON

Fall wildfire hazard season starts in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The fall wildfire hazard season has started in Kentucky.

The season runs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 15. During that time, outdoor burning is prohibited from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland.

State Forestry Division Director Leah MacSwords says that with the last several weeks of dry weather, conditions are favorable for outdoor fires to spread into wildfires.

So far this year, the Division of Forestry has responded to 739 wildfires that have burned more than 17,000 acres of forests in Kentucky. The agency says human activity has caused nearly all of the wildfires, and that most of them were preventable.

ENDANGERED FRESHWATER MUSSELS

2 mussel species designated as endangered

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Two species of freshwater mussels have been designated as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The mussels are only found in portions of the Cumberland and Tennessee River systems. The agency designated 24 critical habitats in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia for the fluted kidneyshell, while 13 were designated for the slabside pearlymussel in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia.

Under the Endangered Species Act, it's illegal to kill, harm or "take" a listed species.

Fish and Wildlife evaluated factors that could cause extinction in deciding to list the mussels.

The agency says both mussels have a small number of populations that are considered biologically viable.

TROOPER SHOOTING

Police: Trooper shoots man with large knife

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police say a trooper shot a man after having a knife thrown at him during a foot chase near Elizabethtown.

Troopers say 53-year-old Gerald Scheppa of Elizabethtown made suicidal references to family members, who called State Police.

After officers arrived, Scheppa ran into a nearby wooded area carrying a large knife. Troopers say Scheppa became belligerent and brandished knife, which he threw at Trooper Charlie Miller.

Miller fired a single shot and struck Scheppa.

Scheppa was taken to the University of Louisville Hospital for surgery. He's charged with assault of a police officer.

The investigation is ongoing.

KNIFE AT SCHOOL

Principal: No charges likely for knife at school

(Information in the following story is from: The Times-Tribune, http://www.thetimestribune.com )

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The principal of a southern Kentucky high school says charges are unlikely to be filed after a student suffered an injury after being hit by a knife on school grounds.

Knox Central High School chief Tim Melton sent a letter home to parents last week saying the injury appears to have been an accident and no harm or threat was intended.

The letter also stated because the incident involved a knife, the Barbourville Police Department was contacted to assist with the investigation.

Barbourville Police Det. Steve Owens told The Times-Tribune the department plans to review the incident and will discuss any additional action if it is warranted.

The identity of the two students involved has not been be divulged.

KLEINERT-OBIT

Kleinert, pioneer in hand surgery, dies

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — An internationally known hand surgeon, Dr. Harold Kleinert of Louisville, has died. He was 91.

Kleinert, who began his practice in hand surgery in Louisville in 1953, also was clinical professor of surgery emeritus at the University of Louisville and Indiana University-Purdue University.

In a statement released by KentuckyOne Health, Dr. Charles Peck described Kleinert as "a true medical pioneer" who conducted groundbreaking research on hand and finger treatment.

Peck, the interim president of Jewish Hospital, said the hospital became the top center for hand treatment because of Kleinert. Peck noted that surgeons and patients traveled to Louisville because of Kleinert.

Peck said more than 1,300 hand fellows have become expert hand surgeons and hundreds of thousands of patients have had their hands saved.

Funeral arrangements were pending Sunday.